The tomato sauce: between flavors and Lucanian traditions

Tomatoes are one of the few vegetables that can be enjoyed at any time of the year without relying on greenhouses, freezers, or other special inventions of man. How? Well, of course, through tomato sauce, one of the greatest culinary inventions in our history that is widely used in many recipes from Southern Italy, particularly in Lucanian cuisine.

Does talking about tomatoes in these terms seem exaggerated to you? If even the famous poet Pablo Neruda wrote a piece called “Ode to the Tomato,” it is probably because this precious food is undeniably one of the most important in Mediterranean cuisine and beyond. In these lines, we will talk about what has been one of the most renowned Lucanian traditions for centuries, namely the preparation of tomato puree.

Preparation phase

Let’s start by saying that if tomato sauce is one of the most common ingredients in Lucanian recipes , it is not only for its undeniable goodness. If you are from the South, you know well that, especially in the past, the preparation of sauce bottles was a family affair: from grandma to the youngest grandchildren, everyone has a specific role. The containers to be used are glass jars and bottles, which must necessarily have an airtight cap to best preserve the product. The glass jars and bottles, of course, must be sterilized beforehand before receiving the sauce. The most suitable variety of tomatoes for making sauce is the cluster variety, one of the most representative of Lucanian food. Only perfect tomatoes, that is, those without blemishes and bruises, which are healthy, fresh, and fragrant can aspire to become a tasty sauce to dress the typical Lucanian dishes.

Preparing Lucanian tomato puree

Now let's briefly describe the procedure for preparing a puree. After washing them thoroughly, the tomatoes should be immersed for a moment in a pot of boiling water. They are then removed with a slotted spoon, excess water is drained, the skin and seeds are removed, and the pulp is cut into small pieces, which should rest in a colander for about an hour.

After the resting phase, the pieces should be placed in a steel saucepan and cooked over low heat along with a few peeled and crushed garlic cloves to enhance the flavor.As the cooking progresses, the pieces will lose their texture and transform into a tasty sauce. At that point, the sauce will be filtered through a strainer and seasoned with salt and pepper while still hot. The sauce will then be placed in sterilized jars (in which some basil leaves have been previously added) using a funnel, a drizzle of oil will be added, and the jars will be sealed. Finally, to create a vacuum, the jars of sauce will be placed in a pot with boiling water for about 40 minutes: once cooled, these sauces will finally be ready to become one of the best Lucanian products ever.